Personal training- are you up for the challenge?

If you are reading this now it is evident you are at least thinking about personal training. At Functional for Life we want to be upfront with potential clients about the pros and cons of PT. We want to make sure that if you are ready to commit to training, it is not a quick fix, it is not a quantum leap of paying for a 10-week package today and being ripped and toned at the end of it. Is this possible? Yes. Is it likely? No.

Most PT companies and most fitness brands will try and sell you with a before and after picture showing dramatic changes to a client in a short period of time. This is understandably appealing to a potential client. Here is the problem with this in our opinion, it is selling you a ‘quantum leap’ scenario. Just like a lot of marketing we see the end result and think it is as easy as simply buying this ‘fat loss shake’ product or buying the new work out gear and a gym membership.

There is a saying that relates to this ‘people are rewarded in public, for what they practice for years in private’ –Tony Robins.

The point is, if you are wanting to get fit, it is best to enter the journey with a completely realistic mindset and not think just because you have paid for a PT package it will be a seamless journey to your ideal health goals. You have to acknowledge the time in between where you start and where you want to finish.

The time in between consists of a roller coaster of emotions from ‘I don’t want to get out of bed early today to do PT’ ‘I don’t have time to do PT today’ through to ‘I feel amazing after my PT session and never want to miss one again’. When you are in that moment and training, it will take every ounce of your mental strength at times to get those extra reps and to perform an exercise with good technique. There will be times where a trainer will have to slow you down to make sure you are honouring your body and not just give you HIIT exercises for the sake of it or because you want to. There will be days where the trainer will push you out of your comfort zone and have you pushing yourself past limits you had no idea you possessed.

The sessions are just the start. A good PT will make sure you are considering nutrition, exercising outside of sessions, pushing you outside your comfort zone to reach your goals. A good PT will do this in a way that is non-invasive and in a way that empowers you not shaming or belittling you along the way. PT should not be about training for 10 weeks and then leaving you to your own devices. It should always be about teaching the client how to change habits, educating them on smart ways and effective ways to exercise and building the clients self-belief with every interaction.

If you are genuinely wanting to make changes and you want to make long term changes to your body. Holistic changes that will have a positive impact for the rest of your life, then you need to understand that you need to embrace the journey. You need to understand that there will be highs, there will be lows but being accountable to yourself, being consistent with your training and slowly changing those detrimental habits will mean you are going to get there. When you do, you will be incredibly proud of yourself. When you are there understand that the journey must continue. At that point however, a good PT would have helped to instil habits in you to make sure continuing that journey is all about following the embedded routines you have learnt.

If you are looking for a PT business that is selling you reality. A personal training business that will only employ trainers who are highly capable of delivering the complexities of a holistic and life changing training program then we encourage you to try Functional for Life. If today is not the day for you to approach a trainer whether it be us or another company. Please remember, there are not quick fixes to genuine life changing improvements to your health and fitness. It is a daily journey. It always has been and it always will be. Whoever you choose to train with, we implore you to train with a PT that sells you reality and not idealism. Are you up for the challenge?